Early life and college Born in
Brooklyn,
New York, Kellett attended
Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn and lettered in four sports. He then attended
Peekskill Military Academy in
Peekskill, New York,
Football executive After being granted a new franchise in the
National Football League for the 1953 season, the
Baltimore Colts named Kellett their first team president and general manager. He and his wife, the former Dorothea L. Tevis, moved to
Baltimore after being hired for the Colts job in 1952. In 1959, Kellett was a contender for
NFL Commissioner. He was supported by four team owners who opposed the candidacy of
Marshall Leahy due to his plan to move the league office to San Francisco. After eight days of deadlock,
Los Angeles Rams general manager
Pete Rozelle was selected as a compromise candidate.
Later life, death, and legacy Kellett retired in January 1967 and relocated to
Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He spent much of his free time playing golf, occasionally offering the Colts advice via telephone. Although he had suffered one heart attack while still working for the Colts, his health was presumed excellent, commenting to reporters shortly before his death that he had his weight "back to where it was when I played football in college." However, he suddenly felt ill the evening of November 3, 1970, having just returned from a trip to Baltimore, and succumbed to a heart attack later that night. Kellett was 61 years old at the time of his death. He was buried in
Pikesville, Maryland. ==Head coaching record==